KIT, FIRST AID, AERONAUTIC (item #97765)
(submitted by Alain Batens)
from L to R and horizontally: 3 X Small First Aid Dressing/ Battle Dressing/Shell Wound Dressing, 1 X Canvas First Aid Kit, 1 X Field Tourniquet, 2 X ½ Grain Morphine Tartrate Syrettes, 1 X Packet w/8 Sulfadiazine Tablets, 1 X Burn-Injury Set, 1 X Box w/16 Absorbent Adhesive Compresses, 1 X Double-Blunt Scissors, 6 X Packets w/5 Grams Crystalline Sulfanilamide, 1 X Bottle w/100 Water Purification Tablets, 1 X Eye Dressing Set, 1 X Box w/6 Iodine Swabs – Remark: the 3rd pattern Kit is Item #97765
Contents of Aeronautic First-Aid Kit (Period 1942-1944)NOTE: This kit packed in a rectangular canvas case is usually supplied, one to each aircraft . Transport aircraft carrying personnel however had a number of these kits, just in case . This applied particularly to C-47 and C-46 Troop Carrier planes (and also to gliders) . The khaki (1st pattern), and later, olive drab case (2nd pattern) and waterproofed case (3rd pattern ?) all closed with a zipper, they were furthermore subdivided into 2 large compartments holding various medical items, also the cover contained a few items (e.g. scissors) . While both the 1st pattern (illustrated) and the 2nd one are equipped with a centralized zipper, whereby both compartments completely unfold; the 3rd pattern has the zipper towards the upper part, it in fact connects the cover with the main body of the kit . There was a small separate compartment almost at the end of the front panel (1st pattern) while this was later moved to the central front of the case (2nd + 3rd pattern), all closed with a press stud . The rear of all models was foreseen with a large loop (to hold the case, or to carry it) and it was also provided with a rectangular flap having 4 lift-the-dot buttons (2 up, 2 down), that clicked into 4 male fasteners located at a specific spot of the plane’s fuselage (within easy reach of crew and passengers) . The case usually had following markings; stenciled in black
KIT, FIRST AID AERONAUTIC U.S. as well as sometimes an optional small red cross on a square or circular white background .CONTENTS:
3 X Dressing, First, Aid, Small, Carlisle Model (item #92060)
16 X Compress, Adhesive, Absorbent (in single box) (item #92000)
2 X Morphine, Tartrate, Syrette, ½ Grain (item #91157)
1 X Scissors, Double-Blunt (item #93690)
8 X Tablet, Sulfadiazine (or Wound Tablets) (in single package) (item #91204)
6 X Packet, Sulfanilamide, each containing 5 Grams Crystalline Sulfanilamide (sterile, individual, double-wrapped, paper envelope w/ shaker top) (item #91211)
100 X Tablet, Water Purification, Individual (item #91218)
1 X Tourniquet, Field (item #93780)
1 X Set, Burn, Injury, w/ Boric Acid Ointment (item #91038)
1 X Set, Eye, Dressing (item #91095)
6 X Swab, Iodine (in single box) (item #91120)
NOTE: Later modifications (course 1944 + early 1945) entail replacement of White bandage material by Field Brown (with change of item numbers) and increase from 5 > 7 digits, after June 1944)
It should be noted that contents sometimes differ as per supplier and, that they also evolve because of the continuous development of medicine in general … Complete (3rd pattern) Kit is Item #97765 while Container is Item #97766.
FM 21-11 First Aid For Soldiers April 7, 1943 states … this kit is supplied to aircraft, 1 to each aircraft station …
According to TM 71-220 Technical Training of Parachutists 27 September 1946, a minimum of 5 First Aid Kits is required per aircraft